


Promises to Keep

by xtremeroswellian



Series: Better Days [9]
Category: Jericho
Genre: Angst, F/M, Funerals, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24063907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: Heather says goodbye to an old friend.
Relationships: Jake Green/Heather Lisinski
Series: Better Days [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693354





	Promises to Keep

The next day, Jake stood in front of the bathroom mirror, straightening the black silk tie he had put on along with his black shirt and black pants. He didn't know Ted, but out of respect, he wore the mourning colors. Stepping out of the bathroom, he walked to his room and stood inside the doorframe. "You ready?" 

Gail had let her borrow one of the dresses from April's closet because everything Heather owned had been lost in the fire. It was simple and black. Her dark hair was pinned up. She didn't turn to look at him when he spoke. No, she wasn't ready. She'd spent the majority of yesterday evening arguing with Goetz about releasing Ted's body so she could bury him. And she hadn't slept in two days. 

When she didn't respond, he walked into the room and sat down next to her, putting an arm around her. 

"I don't think I can do this." 

"You can," he said quietly. 

Heather shut her eyes, leaning forward and resting her head in her hands, her shoulders slumping. 

He rubbed her back. "It'll help." 

"He was like a brother to me," she whispered. "He lived next door to me growing up." 

"I'm sorry," he murmured. 

"I think I spent more time at his house then I did my own," she murmured, faint, sad smile touching her lips. 

He nodded a little. "Sounds familiar." 

"Emily?" she asked softly. 

He bit his lip, guilt flowing through him as he brought her up. "Yeah." 

She smiled faintly and looked down at her hands. "Well...Ted and I were never more than friends, but...he was my best friend," she whispered. "We always looked out for each other." 

"Sounds nice." 

"It was," she whispered. Til it got him killed, Heather thought, her heart clenching. She slowly rose to her feet. 

Jake stood with her. "Come on, I'll take you." 

She nodded wordlessly, letting him lead her out the bedroom, down the stairs and out to the porch. She was more than a little surprised to see Gail standing there, wearing a navy blue pants suit. 

"You look nice, Mom." 

Gail turned to look at him, her eyes sad. "Thank you." She shifted her gaze to Heather. "You're not alone, Honey." 

Jake nodded. "And you'll never be." 

Heather bit her lip, nodding quickly and blinking back the tears that flooded her eyes. 

"Come on." Gail held her hand out and she and Jake escorted her down the porch steps and toward the truck. 

Once they were all in the truck, Jake started it and drove off toward the cemetery. 

* * * 

The people at the cemetery were few and far between. Jake and Gail, Emily, Stanley, Mimi and Bonnie, and Eric and Mary, all of whom had come to support Heather. None of them had known Ted. The grieving and loss was hers and hers alone to bear. She sat in the cold metal chair, barely hearing the pastor's generic words about what a great man Ted had been. 

When the pastor finished talking, Jake looked over at Heather. She looked utterly lost and alone staring at the casket. When everyone else stood up to leave, she stayed. Finally, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Heather?" 

She blinked slowly and lifted her gaze to his face. 

"Do you want to stay?" He asked softly. 

She closed her eyes. She didn't want to leave. She wasn't ready yet. But it wasn't fair to Jake to have to linger in the same place where he'd buried his father not that long ago. 

He saw the hesitation in her movements and knew that she needed to stay. "Stay as long as you want." 

Heather nodded very slightly and opened her eyes to look at the casket once more. "I'll see you back at the house," she whispered. 

"I'll stay." 

"It's okay, Jake." 

"I'm not leaving you alone." 

She drew in a shaky breath and tried to force herself to smile. "I'm okay." Her voice was steady but her eyes reflected the truth. 

He shook his head. "No you're not." 

A single tear slid down her face as she looked at him. 

Scooting closer, he wrapped his arms around her. 

She laid her head down against his uninjured shoulder, her body wracked with sobs. 

He began to rock slowly, whispering comforting words in her ear. 

Heather let him hold her as she cried, his hands stroking her hair gently. Then she slowly pulled away from him, looking down at the rose in her hand. She rose to her feet and moved to the casket, smoothing her hands along it after she laid the flower on top of it. 

Jake stayed sitting, watching Heather intently. 

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, shutting her eyes, the wind ruffling her hair. 

He looked down at his hands, trying his best not to overhear her conversation. 

"There aren't enough words to tell you how sorry I am." A tear slid down her cheek. "But I promise you...that I'm not gonna let your death be in vain," she whispered almost inaudibly. She laid her head down against the wood for a moment, shuddering. 

After a few minutes, Jake stood and walked over to her, resting a gentle hand on her back. 

Heather swallowed hard, then slowly straightened once more, her eyes blurred with tears. 

"His death won't be in vain," he said. "I'll help you make sure of that." 

She leaned against him for support, letting him guide her back to the truck. 

When she was seated in the passenger seat again, Jake walked around to the other side and climbed in himself. "You ready?" 

"Yeah," she whispered almost inaudibly. 

"You can do this Heather." 

When he reached over and covered her hand with his, she drew in a breath and shut her eyes before squeezing his hand gently. "I know."


End file.
